MSP to Rochester High Speed Rail

Roads - Rails - Sidewalks - Bikeways
bubzki2
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Re: Zip Rail to Rochester

Postby bubzki2 » August 19th, 2014, 1:00 pm

We absolutely can't subsidize trains, but we sure can subsidize highway 52.

ProspectPete
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Re: Zip Rail to Rochester

Postby ProspectPete » August 19th, 2014, 7:38 pm

What a Scott Walker wanna be. His initial claim to fame was this tweet which he then retracted:

"Let's be honest, 70% of teams in NBA could fold tomorrow + nobody would notice a difference w/ possible exception of increase in streetcrime."

Dooooah!

mulad
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Re: Zip Rail to Rochester

Postby mulad » September 19th, 2014, 1:37 pm

MnDOT is citing a large number of public comments for delaying the completion of the Final Scoping Decision document until November 15th.

http://www.dot.state.mn.us/newsrels/14/ ... prail.html

bubzki2
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Re: Zip Rail to Rochester

Postby bubzki2 » September 19th, 2014, 1:40 pm

MnDOT is citing a large number of public comments for delaying the completion of the Final Scoping Decision document until November 15th.

http://www.dot.state.mn.us/newsrels/14/ ... prail.html
Somehow I doubt the "large number" of public comments are mostly positive. Some of the towns along the way are not going to go without a fight on this project.

mattaudio
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Re: Zip Rail to Rochester

Postby mattaudio » September 19th, 2014, 3:56 pm

There were people at the meetings I attended who literally thought this would cut off any way to get from one side of the line to the other between Dodge Center and Hampton.

acs
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Re: Zip Rail to Rochester

Postby acs » January 10th, 2015, 1:04 pm

This is why we can't have nice things...

http://finance-commerce.com/2015/01/leg ... -zip-rail/

seanrichardryan
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Re: Zip Rail to Rochester

Postby seanrichardryan » January 10th, 2015, 2:41 pm

Choo-choo boondoggle moar roads hooray!
Q. What, what? A. In da butt.

EOst
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Re: Zip Rail to Rochester

Postby EOst » January 10th, 2015, 4:25 pm

I'm not surprised that there are people pushing for this, but does it have any chance of passing (especially getting past the Senate and Dayton)?

phop
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Re: Zip Rail to Rochester

Postby phop » January 10th, 2015, 4:54 pm

After the destination medical center wrangling, I can't imagine Dayton or the Senate torpedoing a complimentary high-speed rail service.

xandrex
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Re: Zip Rail to Rochester

Postby xandrex » January 10th, 2015, 11:53 pm

I'm honestly surprised this isn't a bill aimed at stopping the NLX project rather than Zip Rail. Over Christmas, I got into quite the debate with my dad about the purpose of intercity rail and he was very adamant about how NLX was being foisted upon people by politicians of a certain party (if you can't guess, he's got a bit of an ideology...haha).

mulad
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Re: Zip Rail to Rochester

Postby mulad » January 20th, 2015, 9:05 am

The Final Scoping Decision Document has been released, along with a couple of large appendices. The files are here, with today's date: http://goziprail.org/info_center/

Silophant
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Re: Zip Rail to Rochester

Postby Silophant » January 20th, 2015, 9:16 am

Man, the FHWA is really not a fan of this project. Understandably, I suppose.
Joey Senkyr
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RailBaronYarr
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Re: Zip Rail to Rochester

Postby RailBaronYarr » January 20th, 2015, 9:45 am

On the last page of the document, they explicitly state:
This project is not a connected action related to the Twin Cities to Chicago HighSpeed Rail project. The Chicago-Milwaukee-Twin Cities Passenger Rail Corridor Project is a wholly separate project.
I guess I understand the reasoning there, given the complete uncertainty of MSP-CHI HSR, but it sure would seem odd to plan this without any consideration for it.

mattaudio
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Re: Zip Rail to Rochester

Postby mattaudio » January 20th, 2015, 9:49 am

True, but the current MSP-CHI "HSR" is 110 MPH on the River Route. So while I don't think they're planning MSP-RST as an explicit component of MSP-CHI, I don't think anyone sees it as out of the question in the long term. Future MSP-CHI just can't be used to justify it, which is a shame.

grant1simons2
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Re: Zip Rail to Rochester

Postby grant1simons2 » January 20th, 2015, 10:13 am

These comments in Appendix B are entertaining. At least there's a page of mostly support due to people from the Twin Cities and Rochester commenting. :lol:

mattaudio
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Re: Zip Rail to Rochester

Postby mattaudio » January 20th, 2015, 10:26 am

If anyone was looking to update their press distribution list... check out Appendix A.

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FISHMANPET
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Re: Zip Rail to Rochester

Postby FISHMANPET » January 20th, 2015, 10:29 am

I don't see streets.mn anywhere on that email blast list...

Silophant
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Re: Zip Rail to Rochester

Postby Silophant » January 20th, 2015, 10:37 am

I am a huge supporter of Pine Island's request for a Light Rail stop for their bio-business park.
Joey Senkyr
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acs
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Re: Zip Rail to Rochester

Postby acs » January 20th, 2015, 10:40 am

Judging by the tone of the report, I'd say they are leaning towards the Union Depot via Robert street route in the north and the "hybrid" route near US-52 in the south. Its likely the lowest cost with no new river crossings while maintaining the highest possible speed. The Eagan/airport shuttle station idea seems pretty stupid and inefficient. I am impressed they are still talking about true electrified HSR (they repeatedly mention 186 mph+ top speeds) along this stand-alone corridor, even though I think that's overkill. I still would have hoped they would at least give us some indication of what service speeds they were considering for the corridor.

mattaudio
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Re: Zip Rail to Rochester

Postby mattaudio » January 20th, 2015, 10:50 am

Biggest takeaway? While cursive may be all but dead in the Twin Cities and Rochester, it's alive and well in and around Kenyon.


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